[22] The command document commits to public transparency and cooperation with decentralised administrations and provides further details and proposals on Parliament`s role in reviewing future free trade agreements. Unlike a customs union, parties to a free trade agreement do not have common external tariffs, which means that they apply different tariffs and other directives to non-members. This feature allows non-parties to obtain footsp preferences under a free trade agreement by entering the market with the lowest external tariffs. Such a risk requires the introduction of rules for determining which originating products are eligible for preferences under a free trade agreement, a need that does not arise in the context of the creation of a customs union. [20] In principle, a minimum volume of processing is required, resulting in a “substantial transformation” of the goods in order for them to be considered originating. In defining the products originating in the ATP, the preferential rules of origin distinguish between originating and non-originating products: only the former are entitled to the preferential duties set by the FREE TRADE AGREEMENT, the latter must pay the most-favoured-nation duties. [21] Free trade agreements that constitute free trade areas are generally outside the scope of the multilateral trading system. However, WTO members must inform the secretariat when concluding new free trade agreements and, in principle, the texts of free trade agreements are subject to review by the Committee on Regional Trade Agreements. Since transactions between parties to a free trade agreement are relatively less onerous than transactions with non-parties, free trade agreements are generally considered to be excluded. Now that deep trade agreements will improve regulatory harmonization and increase trade flows with non-parties, thereby reducing the applicability of the benefits of the FTA, next-generation free trade agreements retain essential features of public goods.
[19] The Market Access Card was developed by the International Trade Centre (ITC) with the aim of facilitating businesses, governments and market access researchers. . . .